Sunday, 2 November 2008

Dorset apple cake

I have fond memories of family holidays in Dorset; Bridport to be more exact. We’d load up the car with everything from sandwiches for the journey (the sausage and ketchup would always go first) to the dog’s basket and hope that we’d get there without Dinky (the dog) puking over one of us. Waiting for us was Mallards, the fabulous shop in Bridport High Street that sold a thrilling array of pies including big pork pies with crimped tops. We were Blackadder obsessed at the time so the shop instantly became known to us as “Miggins” after Mrs Miggins’ Pie Shop. Ahhhh, memories.

What that little jaunt down memory lane is meant to indicate, other than most of my memories involve food, is that I have a fondness for anything with a Dorset connection. In my mind Dorset is a place of lovely pies and cakes, thus when I saw this recipe I gave it my full attention.

The cake is moist because of the apple. As there is sugar in both the cake and the extremely crumbly topping I chose a tart apple – a Granny Smith – to provide some contrast. It worked very well.

I served the cake at room temperature with Chantilly cream. It would also be lovely hot with custard.

- Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/315°F/Gas mark 2-3.- Grease and line a 20cm square tin. It’s easier if the tin is either springform or loose bottomed.- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I always find this takes longer when using brown sugar.- Gradually beat in the eggs. If the mix looks like it’s curdling add some of the flour.- Fold in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon.- Stir in the milk.- Stir in the chopped apple.- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and put to one side.- Now make the crumble topping: Rub the butter into the flour until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.- Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.- Scatter the crumble over the top of the cake and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Mine took 45 minutes.- Serve either hot with custard or cold with cream.- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.- Eat.

17 comments:

Speaking as a Dorset dweller I am enjoying the shout out to our beloved apple cake.

While it would be quite nice served as you have suggested my preference is warmed up with some clotted cream on the side. Although you seem to have forgotten to add any sultanas to your mix ;-) And perhaps some nuggets of purest green? ;-)

Thank you for your wonderful Blackadder link! Though I'm American, I was introduced to Bladder and Baldrick and the gang in 2000 when I stayed with a friend in Ramsgate, and have been obsessed with them ever since. I only grieve that they didn't make more episodes, and that it's so hard to find their DVDs in the U.S.

By the way, I have a plan so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it 'weasel'. LOL

hi thanks for passing by..it has been a long time and lot to catch on.... i liked your dorset apple cake.. the recipe is quite interesting would love to try it...i must imagine the lingering wonderful taste....and blond ginger cake preparation is also good.

Read this great novel!

Look at this great website

Follow my ambitious attempt to find a recipe for a cake, biscuit, pie or tart for every single one of the 39 traditional English counties!

The Caked Crusader and Boy Wonder

Cartoon by Cakeyboi

About Me

So, the answer to the question you’re all asking: who am I? Well, a superhero never reveals their identity. I think it’s stated somewhere in the contract when you sign up for superhero-dom. Let’s just call me THE CAKED CRUSADER. By day (and night if I’m being honest) a mild-mannered City professional, but at weekends I become THE CAKED CRUSADER. Tirelessly fighting anti-cake propaganda and cake-related injustices – for SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, ALWAYS NEEDS CAKE (we’ll just skip over the fact that it’s usually me).

Batman’s got the batmobile, batcave etc. Superman does just great what with being able to fly and being really strong. Spiderman’s got that web thing going on. But I have better than them. For I have a credit card and could get one of these:

The purpose of my blog is simple – to spread the word that CAKE IS GOOD.Yes, it is calorific; that is why it tastes so nice.Yes, too much of it is bad for you; that’s what ‘too much’ means.Yes, we’re all told to eat healthily and we know that we should. But ask yourself this – and look very deeply into your soul before answering – when has a cup of tea and a carrot ever cheered you up? However, put that carrot into a cake and happiness will ensue. Quod erat demonstrandum – CAKE IS GOOD.

This site will catalogue cakes I have unleashed unto the world and my thoughts thereon.

By the way, I will never recommend how many portions you should get out of a cake because we’re all different. Plus, it will be very embarrassing when I say it serves 4 and you get 20 portions out of it.

WARNING: Too much time spent on this blog may cause hunger.

Privacy notice

The Caked Crusader blog does not share personal information with third-parties, nor does it store or use information collected about your visit to the site other than to analyse content performance. I am not responsible for the republishing of the blog’s content on other websites or media without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice.

Cake Achievement in Film and Television Arts (CAFTA)

Have you seen a cake in a film or tv show that deserves recognition? Has a cupcake upstaged a beefcake?

If so, please let me know and that cake could win a coveted CAFTA award. Email me your suggestions, with a photo of the cake if possible.

About Me

I am a 40-something Chartered Accountant working in the square mile.
My main hobbies at the moment are baking, and setting the world record for the number of cake tins owned by one person.
I spend far too much time watching Spongebob Squarepants and would love to try a Krabby Patty...I know, I know - it's not real.